Middle Schools

• At-home instruction will be a combination of asynchronous and synchronous lessons.
• Extra-curricular activities available in socially distanced settings.
• Grades are assigned.
• All schools and classes will follow an established routine schedule with synchronous components.
• Attendance is taken daily.

• In-person instruction will occur four days per week for grades 7 and 8 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays;
• Families who wish to remain in Distance Learning will have the opportunity to do so.
• Contingent upon whether distancing guidelines will allow for entire classes of students to attend school during in-person learning hours.
• Wednesdays will continue to be asynchronous days with no students on campus.
• At-home instruction will be a combination of asynchronous and synchronous lessons.
• Staggered break times to reduce large groupings.
• Stable Group Structure: Students will remain in the same assigned group of students and staff throughout the entire day.

• Designed for families who wish to keep their children in full distance learning for the year.
• Families encouraged and resources provided to maintain a connection to the assigned school.
• Students receive supplemental services from their assigned school as practicable; i.e., IEP services, Counseling, etc.

The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) released new guidance pertaining to youth sports effective February 26, 2021. Based on this guidance, irrespective of setting (outdoor or indoor) case rate or sport played, the following general guidance requirements must be adhered to at all times:

• Face coverings to be worn when not participating in the activity (e.g., on the sidelines).
• Face coverings to be worn by coaches, support staff and observers at all times, and in compliance with the CDPH Guidance for the Use of Face Coverings.
• Observers maintain at least 6 feet from non-household members.
• No sharing of drink bottles and other personal items and equipment.
• Mixing with other households prior to and post any practice or competition must strictly adhere to current gathering guidance.
• Limit indoor sports activities (practice, conditioning) to comply with capacity limits (which shall include all athletes, coaches, and observers) indicated in current CDPH Gym & Fitness Center Guidance Capacity.
• Associated indoor activities for the team (e.g., dinners, film study) are prohibited if engaged in competition given evidence that transmission is more likely to occur in these indoor higher risk settings.
• Teams must not participate in out-of-state games and tournaments; several multistate outbreaks have been reported around the nation, including California residents.

Limitations on Observers

• Limit observation of youth sports (age 18 years and under) to immediate household members, and for the strict purpose of age appropriate supervision. This includes observation of practice and competition. Limit number of observers to ensure physical distance can be maintained, reduce potential crowding, and maintain indoor and outdoor capacity limits.
• Consider video streaming of games so that they can be watched "live" from home.

Limitations for Inter-Team Competitions and Tournaments

• Inter-team competitions, meets, races, or similar events are permitted to occur only if
  (a) both teams are located in the same county and the sport is authorized
  (b) teams are located in immediately bordering counties and the sport is authorized in both counties based on CDPH-authorized sports per Reopening Tier.
  
  
  • These county-based authorizations apply to the locations/counties in which the teams, schools, clubs, leagues, and similar organizations are functionally based (e.g., where the players reside, where facilities are located, etc.).
  • Local Health Departments to be notified of any cross country competitions within their jurisdiction and reserve the right under their own discretion to deny the competition at any time in their jurisdiction. Teams participating in cross county competitions will follow the more stringent rules if the participating teams are coming from counties that may be at different case rate thresholds.
• Teams adhere to current CDPH Travel Advisory recommendations when determining travel for competition in neighboring counties.
• No tournaments or events that involve more than two teams to occur. Exceptions may be made, with authorization from the local health department where the event is being held and each of the local health departments where teams originate from, for sports where individual competitors from multiple teams are routine such as: track and field; cross-country; golf; skiing/snowboarding; tennis; swimming/diving/surfing; biking and equestrian events.
• Only one competition, per team, per day maximum to be played.

This impacts all youth sports and activities, including school-based club and recreational youth sports. Adjustments will be made as the requirements and guidelines evolve.

Because middle school schedules and in-person instructional approaches are still under consideration, more information about physical education will be provided at a later date. Per CDC and CDPH guidelines, physical education is permitted only when the following can be maintained: 1) physical distancing to the greatest extent possible between participants; and 2) a stable cohort, such as a class, that limits the risks of transmission (see CDC Guidance on Schools and Cohorting). Activities should take place outside to the maximum extent practicable.

Sport conditioning programs are permitted for individual or team training with minimal contacts. Conditioning and training should take place outside, where practicable, and focus on individual skill-building activities such as running drills and body weight resistance training.

Indoor sports activities should follow local guidance for gyms and auditoriums, including requirements for physical distancing, face coverings, and occupancy.

• Physical activities should be limited to activities that do not involve physical contact with other students or equipment until advised otherwise by state/local public health officials.
• Physical conditioning, practice, skill-building, and training that can be conducted outdoors, with 6 feet of physical distancing, and within stable cohorts are authorized regardless of case rate or sport. Indoor physical conditioning and training is allowed only in counties where gyms and fitness centers are allowed to operate indoors.
• Activities will be held in separate areas designated by class and/or staggered throughout the day.
• Whenever possible, activities will be conducted outdoors with appropriate physical distancing within groups to the greatest extent practicable.
• Use of shared equipment will be limited in favor of physical activities that require less contact with surfaces and allow for greater physical distancing.
• Consistent with guidance for gyms and fitness facilities, cloth face coverings must be worn during indoor physical conditioning and training or physical education classes (except when showering).
• Activities that require heavy exertion should be conducted outside in a physically distanced manner without face coverings.
• Activities conducted inside should be those that do not require heavy exertion and can be done with a face covering.
• Players should take a break from exercise if any difficulty in breathing is noted and should change their mask or face covering if it becomes wet and sticks to the player's face and obstructs breathing.
• Masks that restrict airflow under heavy exertion (such as N-95 masks) are not advised for exercise.